Various types of guns and firearms such as rifles and pistols exist for discharging or shooting projectiles. It is desirable to count and maintain track of the number of shots that a particular firearm has discharged. Such information is important for several purposes including estimating the time for service or remanufacture, assessing warranty validity, determining the value of the firearm, or for investigation of forensic evidence. Certain prior art references describe devices for counting and tracking the number of shots discharged from a weapon including shot-counting devices having electronic or digital readouts. By way of example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0155420 titled “Device for Collecting Statistical Data for Maintenance of Small-Arms” by Johnson and Kulesza, published on Jul. 21, 2005, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0114084 also titled “Device for Collecting Statistical Data For Maintenance of Small-Arms” by Johnson, Kulesza, and VanEvery, published on May 26, 2005, purport to disclose electronic shot counting devices, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. These publications generally describe a microprocessor, an interface, and a sensor such as a temperature, acceleration, or an acoustic sensor.
It is important that electronic shot-counting devices do not impair or interfere with the operation of the firearm, but still be simple and rugged enough to withstand discharge and operation of the firearm. It is also important that the shot-counting device be reliable and accurately track the number of actual shots fired or discharged. Moreover, it is desirable that the shot-counting device be lightweight, not require a bulky external power source, and be easily integrated into the design and manufacture of the firearm.